►Thanks for watching, check out me other bits! ►My new EP: madebyjohn.bandcamp.com/album/retail-simulator ►Outro Song: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iJPTnn2AjdaGhsksi=2_i6bKZUj3bjixzw ►Instagram: instagram.com/plainly.john/ ►Patreon: www.patreon.com/Plainlydifficult ►Merch: plainly-difficult.creator-spring.com ►Twitter:twitter.com/Plainly_D ►Sauces Used to Cook this video: www.faa.gov/newsroom/faa-mandates-medical-requirements-commercial-balloon-pilots#:~:text=%E2%80%9CPassengers%20can%20now%20rest%20assured,exempt%20from%20the%20medical%20requirement. www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/AAR1703.pdf
@bertbaker70674 ай бұрын
This reminds me of a story you might be able to do a short video on. On November 27, 2022, a small plane crashed into a high tension power line pylon near Gaithersburg, MD, USA. The plane got stuck like 60ft off the ground and it took like 6 hours to rescue the people on the plane. Great videos man, thanks for sharing them with us.
@arcanondrum65434 ай бұрын
You're getting criticized on the weather details but that's by people not appreciating that a Balloon pilot IS the weather. Anyway, dewpoint and ambient temperature close together means fog in cool weather "haze" in hot weather. It's a fact.
@josvercaemer2644 ай бұрын
GEN Z: what is a casette?
@davepowell71684 ай бұрын
unsubscribed because of the standard of chatbot that this channel uses for comment
@davemccage79184 ай бұрын
Do you sell an official PD Bingo Card set anywhere? I’d like to buy some reusable cards and chips instead of hand drawing them up.
@jochenheiden4 ай бұрын
I don’t have a fear of heights. I have a fear of being burned to death in a hot air balloon when the burner and propane tanks explode.
@charaznable80724 ай бұрын
Damn can you imagine the horror of that scene a basket of what 14 people burning it's the stuff of nightmares.
@VirgoShelter4 ай бұрын
I wasn't expecting to see you here at all
@jochenheiden4 ай бұрын
@@VirgoShelter Who me?
@VirgoShelter4 ай бұрын
@@jochenheiden yeah lol, I seen your videos
@jochenheiden4 ай бұрын
@@VirgoShelter that’s cool man, thanks for watching! I am a consumer of other people’s KZbin channels as well and am subbed to many. I’ve been watching this guy for years.
@ajh63544 ай бұрын
His failure to get his balloon's yearly inspection tells me his long term decision making is no better than his short term.
@Xezlec3 ай бұрын
Was.
@capt.bart.roberts49754 ай бұрын
I have spinal injuries, and am on medication that would impair my ability to drive. So I've given up driving, voluntarily. I really couldn't live with myself if I hurt someone.
@thing_under_the_stairs4 ай бұрын
Same. My migraine medication causes brainfog and slower reaction times, and I don't feel comfortable driving without my head completely clear. The fact that my stepfather was killed in a brutal car crash doesn't make me feel any safer on the road, and the thought that my meds could cause that kind of pain to another family is unbearable. I walk or take transit.
@leigha28144 ай бұрын
@@thing_under_the_stairswild. I don't take a reactive migraine med, just a preventative, but if I get a migraine it is way more dizzying and disorienting than any medication could be (other than the ones I've gotten on IV in the hospital exclusively). Migraine is so weird like that. No wonder they can't get anywhere near curing it.
@thing_under_the_stairs4 ай бұрын
@@leigha2814 I need both kinds of meds, unfortunately, but you're right about actual migraines being worse than either! When I've got one I'm usually barely functional. And never mind finding a cure, they're still not 100% on the causes! So far the best treatment I've found is Botox injections, which have reduced the intensity and frequency of my migraines by a huge extent, and I should be able to lighten up on the other meds once I've been on it longer, according to my neurologist. But how wild is it that the most effective treatment out there is injections of a dangerous neurotoxin into the nerves and muscles of the scalp, forehead, neck, and shoulders?
@mrthreedaysgrace1004 ай бұрын
@@thing_under_the_stairs ayyy rizatriptan gang?
@jooleebilly4 ай бұрын
@@mrthreedaysgrace100 I can't do anything -triptan bc it can cause serotonin syndrome and I take an SSRI. Plus, I was having to take sumatriptan several times a week, so I got pretty damned close to serotonin syndrome a couple of times. It can easily be fatal, btw. But I *do* qualify for botox shots in my head and neck every 12 weeks. Now THAT is a miracle cure for me. Frikkin' AMAZING. It doesn't work for everyone, but if it does, boy howdy is it worth it! About 20+ injections under the skin every 12 weeks (about 10 minutes of mild-to-moderate pain) = 3 months without migraines.
@wunderstein82244 ай бұрын
In 2015, about a year before this happened, I took my ex-wife and myself as a gift to her on this exact balloon with this pilot. I still have pics of the smiley face balloon being filled and then pics up in the wicker basket. I still lived in San Antonio at the time I heard of this accident, just freaky to know that this happened in the exact same basket and on the same balloon you were in one year earlier.
@Him_He_Me4 ай бұрын
Was he impaired? Cos that is one hell of a cocktail of drigs he was taking.
@13donstalos4 ай бұрын
@@Him_He_Me Fr I just wanna be high like him
@saphiriathebluedragonknight3754 ай бұрын
My parents can kind of relate. On their honeymoon they rode a gondola. Like a week later there was a fatal accident on it. My siblings and I were that close to possibly being seperated.
@bonefetcherbrimley77402 ай бұрын
@@13donstalosDon't. You could get hurt.
@johndaniels46234 ай бұрын
Some details were omitted that are important to cover. First, he was not the only pilot meeting passengers that morning, this pilot and 5 other pilots met, reviewed the weather, and the other 5 cancelled their flights because they knew those conditions would generate fog. This pilot went against more experienced pilot’s recommendations to say on the ground. Next, even though this was a 1 man operation, he was playing games with the FAA to stay in business. He transferred ownership of the balloon and the company to his mother in Florida. As far as the FAA knew, he no longer had a balloon or a ride business. His mother ran the website and the bookings for rides from Florida. Third, this pilot was seeing three different doctors an MD in Texas, an MD in Missouri, and a psychiatrist in Missouri. None of these doctors knew about each other, their recommendations, or prescriptions written. Many of the drugs in his system would have prevented him from obtaining a medical certificate if required. Even if he had a medical certificate, nothing would have stropped him from going out what he did and killing everyone in the basket. Ironically, he hit the ONLY high voltage line running through that part of Texas, had he stayed aloft and additional 10 to 15 minutes the fog would have parted and he would have been able to make a normal landing in VFR conditions. In fact, by the time emergency crews arrived weather conditions were VFR. He was not a responsible pilot or a conscientious pilot, only someone concerned about skirting the rules to make money. This man, single-handedly ruined ballooning for all of the rule abiding aviators. It doesn’t matter that he was a balloon pilot, his attitude would have been dangerous in gliders, helicopters, or airplanes.
@fredMplanenut4 ай бұрын
Similar traits exhibited concerning the pilot and the Shoreham crash here in the U.K.. One person's bad decisions affect so many.
@neilkurzman49074 ай бұрын
He single-handedly did it? No the industry did it because the industry decided it didn’t want any government regulations. Because they knew better. it wouldn’t be the first time that one bad apple did spoil the entire bunch. Which is why after events like this turns out industry groups demand the government regulate them. Kind of funny isn’t it, but yes, a lot of regulations are written in blood, including this regulation.
@lindamitchell-fox19263 ай бұрын
I think instead of the statement that this man single handedly ruining ballooning for all the lawfully abiding people…the more important statement would be…this man single handedly killed all the passengers on that ballon that trusted him for an adventure. At least from my perspective, the death of family is felt more than the ballooning community. Of course that’s just me and my opinion and feelings.
@pdog5473 ай бұрын
Either way, my feet are staying on the ground.
@pearcat082 ай бұрын
In what way did this pilot "ruin ballooning for all of the law abiding aviators"? They can still fly, they can still take other people as passengers ... was there some change that came from this incident other than the medical certification requirement? Because being required to get such a certification certainly doesn't ruin ballooning- it makes it safer.
@neiloflongbeck57054 ай бұрын
This pilot the primary rule for fun flying: It's better to be on the ground wishing you were flying than up there wishing you weren't.
@brick63474 ай бұрын
There's a surprising amount of cassette enthusiasts out there. Techmoan springs to mind.
@PlainlyDifficult4 ай бұрын
I agree it’s a nice medium and as a musician it really makes you think about the flow of an album when you have to consider the linear experience
@glitchedoom4 ай бұрын
That's who got me into it.
@DaleDix4 ай бұрын
Well that's one.
@NinoJoel4 ай бұрын
Well done right cassettes can have a crazy high music quality and last very long. They are easy to handle and robust. They also don't cost much compared to other media and are still readily available. I also like the fact they slow down the short lived over consumption of music as a media. If you have a cassette you just take more time listening closely rather than jumping and skipping tracks back and forth.
@DaleDix4 ай бұрын
I have an almost new double cassette/cd player.
@Spectator19594 ай бұрын
My wife had purchased a flight for us with this same company that same year as an anniversary celebration. We attempted to go on several earlier flights during the spring and summer, but they were all canceled early in the morning because of cloudy weather. I don’t recall why we didn’t try to go on this one, but turned out to be a good thing.
@katjay31254 ай бұрын
what a terrible way to celebrate anything
@zacthebuzzkillАй бұрын
I had the exact time experience with the Branson Duck Boats. We had tickets for the week after the accident.
@1Dropboys4 ай бұрын
The thing is. That they don't make good cassette players anymore
@StudioPowerful4 ай бұрын
Sadly I learned that too, I got a modern tape player (We are rewind) and an old walkman (EX677) and the walkman blows the new one out of the water! I will say though if you aren't an audiophile or don't care about the special features then you can get by with a modern player like the rewind or Fiio
@hibbs17124 ай бұрын
Weird capitalists have seemingly moved on from cassette; so I can personally guarantee you find one in perfect condition secondhand for like ~$10-$20
@brick63474 ай бұрын
@@stedydubdetroitthey're mechanical devices, and they nearly all use the same shoddy mechanisms from one deck to the next. They might look fancy, but they're not.
@lucashinch4 ай бұрын
What? TASCAM , SONY, Pioneer and more are easily available.
@Rose_Castle4 ай бұрын
I can feel the smugness of my hoarder father haunting me wherever I go. He definitely still has some, and some cars that still only have a tape deck.
@GrowthCurveMarketing4 ай бұрын
Getting into a wicker basket suspended by ropes from an airborne, un-steerable, and flammable envelope of hot gas heated by a huge, open flame fueled by pressurized propane never struck me as a good idea under ANY circumstances.
@pdog5474 ай бұрын
This.
@GrimFelArt4 ай бұрын
Like maybe in the times before aeroplanes first emerged and this was like, the only aviation option, yeah okay I guess makes sense. You wanna travel by air, well this is what you've got. But like, planes exist now? And are far more regulated, monitored and safe? If you're that desperate for some recreational aviation book a joyride in a small aircraft lol at least then you know you'll be monitored by air traffic control and radar etc., and the pilot would have had actual training (well, some can find ways to dodge that but there's a far higher chance the operator actually trained and legally acquired a license to fly) as opposed to some rando going "yeah I could fly that" lmao
@rodterrell3044 ай бұрын
Yep, me too, gonna keep my balloon butt on the ground.
@daviddun13894 ай бұрын
Perhaps but the alternative is sitting in you mom's basement overweight with bad teeth and wacking off while watching a bingo rerun on a shopping channel.
@Chris-hx3om4 ай бұрын
The gas inside the balloon is not flammable. It's mostly just hot carbon dioxide (the result of propane being burnt. If it was flammable, then the flame used to provide the hot air would ignite it, and the balloon would immediately burst into flames... Which it does not.
@nivision4 ай бұрын
oh. that was odd to encounter this morning. my first boyfriend died in this. respectful job, no shade intended, just strange feeling.
@PlainlyDifficult4 ай бұрын
That’s understandable thank you for your comment!
@kskssxoxskskss21894 ай бұрын
So sorry for your loss
@nivision4 ай бұрын
@@PlainlyDifficult you did a great job covering what went wrong from what I understood though, so thank you. it just took a bit to get to these words. :) been following for a few years now!
@highdefinition90sАй бұрын
Bless you that’s a way to be awoken. I don’t doubt you feel strange but I’m always impressed with how well he covers these things; very sensitive to those who are or could have been victims. 5 stars 🌟
@Haarschmuckfachgeschafttadpole4 ай бұрын
For anyone curious powerlines are still very dangerous without even having a ground due to the phase to phase voltage. For a normal 7.2kV line phase-to-phase voltage is 12,470V. So you can be electrocuted without even touching something that's grounded. This is what caused the fire. The lines they hit were transmission lines well over 100kV.
@13donstalos4 ай бұрын
I'm just curious how to pronounce your YT handle
@uploadJ4 ай бұрын
Yes, and on the HV transmission towers there are (usually) two top wires called static (grounded) lines that form a sort of shield meant for intercepting lightning ...
@Joshdun2483 ай бұрын
My wife (22 at the time) and her mother were both on board when the accident happened. I'd just gotten out of the army and our daughter was 11 months old when it happened. My daughter is 8 years old now and I'm still a single parent, its strange to think how different everything has been. I saw when this when it was first posted but couldn't respond until now. I appreciate there still being light shown on this subject.
@TraTranc4 ай бұрын
FAA before: _"I do not care."_ FAA after: _"WTF BRO!"_
@JoshuaTootell4 ай бұрын
"Regulations are written in blood" Rarely are regulations written before an accident.
@vivimannimarcos1254 ай бұрын
Two sedatives AND a stimmy? Like, daily? Geeze, man was subjecting himself to multiple G forces
@reddwarfer9994 ай бұрын
He had the contents of a small chemist's running through his veins.
@kristin71464 ай бұрын
2 sedatives, a stimulant, AND an opiate (so technically 3 sedatives).
@DarterDamselfly4 ай бұрын
I take those as well (prescription, currently trying to get off sedatives) but you don't see me flying any hot air balloons!
@streettrialsandstuff4 ай бұрын
That dude was drugged to the tits
@jasonhaynes29524 ай бұрын
I'm inclined to think that you probably have to have some personality flaws and issues to become a balloon operator anyhow. I mean, thill seeking, lack of fear, probably a bit nutty IMHO. Not that all are, just that those types might be attracted to this kind of career
@AeroGuy074 ай бұрын
So me, who drove non-CDL trucks and hauled cargo, had to have a DOT medical certification, but a guy who takes people up in the air in a balloon doesn't. Makes sense.
@stellviahohenheim4 ай бұрын
Probably because a hot air balloon doesn't have complex controls
@jooleebilly4 ай бұрын
Most people who haul cargo ALSO have to take drug tests. And they check your driving record. What are the chances you'd get a job doing that if you tested positive for benzos and oxy, and had 2+ DUIs? My guess is ZERO. ZERO chances. I wonder when those rules were put in place. I wouldn't be surprised if balloon pilot rules were set back in the 60s when almost nobody did it commercially. Or there's a lobbying group fighting regulations. I would look it up, but.
@AeroGuy074 ай бұрын
@stellviahohenheim I would be willing to bet that a hot air balloon is harder to operate than a 24ft straight truck.
@katjay31254 ай бұрын
A way of weeding out idiots
@charlotteinnocent87524 ай бұрын
I did the flight medical for my private single engine fixed wing license and I had forgotten that a medical wasn't needed for a hot air balloon pilot. That is a HUGE mistake. I hate to see more of the "tombstone regulation" stories, but sadly it seems to be the world we live in. Most of the little I knew about hot air balloons was that we always gave way for them, I didn't need to know more.
@ferretyluv4 ай бұрын
Texas, that’s why. It took a chemical plant exploding and killing hundreds of kids for them to have just one zoning regulation: no factories near schools.
@13donstalos4 ай бұрын
Safety regulations are written in blood
@charlotteinnocent87524 ай бұрын
@@13donstalos Exactly!
@kawaiiarchive3574 ай бұрын
Where I live the thieves have a nasty habit of stealing hot air balloons. I don't know who would buy a stolen ballon, seems really silly.
@reachandler36554 ай бұрын
For a moment I misread that as "I don't know who would joyride a stollen balloon" 😂
@stellviahohenheim4 ай бұрын
They probably sold the propane
@mbryson28994 ай бұрын
@@stellviahohenheimThere's a LOT of high quality, light and tough fabric, too.
@thecalham4 ай бұрын
Lol you don't happen to live in Florida
@bmstylee4 ай бұрын
@@stellviahohenheimso would the balloon be a propane accessory? Hank Hill would like to know.
@onegaiio4 ай бұрын
hot air balloons have always seemed shady to me, this just seals the deal
@WeldinMike274 ай бұрын
If the burner fails, they reach terminal velocity in an unbelievably short time. Just so you know.
@CarlosAM14 ай бұрын
I mean yeah, its a balloon, your control authority basically boils down to going up, going down and praying if something else goes wrong. Edit: to which may I add the chance of something else going wrong and dying is very low, even lower than the chances of dying when driving a car
@tylerromero4 ай бұрын
They should have airbag systems or something so you can survive the fall
@xeviphract58944 ай бұрын
Andrée's Arctic balloon expedition of 1897 - Where dying in the crash would have been a mercy.
@alistairmackintosh94124 ай бұрын
@@xeviphract5894The 19th century equivalent of tech bros...
@alexwolf31624 ай бұрын
I'm 87 and I'm glad i lived long enough to see this video. Thank you.
@dorokaiyinvil57054 ай бұрын
Why? 🧐
@ohsweetmystery4 ай бұрын
@@dorokaiyinvil5705It's just meant to be a compliment.
@worawatli89524 ай бұрын
@@dorokaiyinvil5705 He might had fear of hot air balloon, and now he felt that it was a reasonable fear to have. lol I also don't dare to go on them, I'd rather take blimps, inert gas don't catch fire.
@samholdsworth4204 ай бұрын
LOL old people are not on KZbin
@dukebaloof25404 ай бұрын
@@samholdsworth420 Exactly lol
@csh84514 ай бұрын
If I had a nickel for every balloon disaster involving a nickel, id still be broke
@jamesdelatour22664 ай бұрын
When it got to listing his “prescription” 🤣 bloke was off his face
@antoineroquentin22974 ай бұрын
Depends on the dosage but yea that's an "interesting" combination. A combination of Bupropion and Methylphenidate can also cause seizures
@Sniperboy55514 ай бұрын
@antoineroquentin2297 It *can* but it would likely happen when beginning or increasing the dose, rather than randomly occurring while being on a constant dose of those meds.
@jamesdelatour22664 ай бұрын
@@Sniperboy5551 No one should be on a strong opioid painkiller, a benzodiazepine and a stimulant all at once long term. That’s a cocktail of euphoria and reduced inhibitions.
@iangrice3294 ай бұрын
More like he was comatosed. In the UK you can't drive if you take diazepam.
@Flying_Fetus4 ай бұрын
@@jamesdelatour2266I'm on Xanax, Vyvanse, and I'm wearing a Duragesic patch. I'm currently driving a forklift with a 900 pound pallet of toxic Schiifs Reagent in glass bottles on my tynes while simultaneously tapping out this comment. How does this make you feel?
@mayamar5294 ай бұрын
I took part in a hot air ballon tour. The date was moved a lot because of all kind of problems (mostly weather). It was like standing on a balcony. There was no wind because the ballon moved with the wind. It was not cold because the air in the ballon had to be heated from time to time. It wasn't really what I had expected. But all went well.
@bryonnevis21874 ай бұрын
There is a lot to this story that is missing. Hot air ballooning is a VERY SMALL community. It's almost impossible to fly a hot air balloon and be "anonymous." A hot air balloon is designed to stick out! Here is what I don't understand: Even before his first balloon lesson, he would have needed a student medical to start training and it would have been made aware to him at that time that most over-the-counter drugs (and prescription) cannot by used while flying. If he then got both his private balloon pilot and commercial balloon pilot certificates, there were instructors who needed to sign him off to take his checkrides, and FAA designated pilot examiners to sign off his certificates, not to mention periodic flight reviews. Was this pilot a role model of safety until he got his commercial certificate and then threw the manual out the basket, so to speak? Also, in the US, a commercial balloon rating is a flight instructor rating for balloons: he would be tested on the flight instructor curriculum in addition to the commercial pilot curriculum, and expected to know the regulations pretty much by heart to be able to teach them to others. Also, what about the chase crew--how could they observe such flagrant violations of the regulations and not say anything, or did he go out of his way to get a chase crew that was totally oblivious to what the regulations are? All hot air balloon pilots I know are safety-conscious, hold regular safety seminars, and are on a first-name basis with the safety representative at the local FSDO. How could anybody not notice a pattern of misbehavior or know about it and not say anything? And using high-tech gadgets to keep in touch with the ground crew instead of reliable a two-way radio? How many warning signs were ignored before this tragedy?
@oldcynic69644 ай бұрын
Bryon: That's a long question. My short answer is: - I suspect he lied like a Persian rug - about everything. - Chase crew knew nothing about rules 'n regs. Just employed to drive the truck and haul stuff - Being on a first-name basis with the safety rep is a good way to make him feel uncomfortable about calling you out.
@thejudgmentalcat4 ай бұрын
The pilot was flying higher than his balloon
@Rose_Castle4 ай бұрын
My boyfriend once started talking at the end and I had to yell at him to shut up because I always want to knkw what the weather is doing in your corner. fyi, in sydney it is raining.
@blakewhite31314 ай бұрын
bf shush, we need to know how John describes the weather
@Rose_Castle4 ай бұрын
@@blakewhite3131 frfr, i lean in for the knowledge and then nod like I have been blessed with good knowledge.
@thing_under_the_stairs4 ай бұрын
I love all the comments about weather around the world that John's weather report prompts. I'd never have known that it's raining in Sydney without this comment, but for some reason, I'm glad you told us. It's warm and a bit cloudy in Toronto, with a nice breeze off Lake Ontario.
@jo-vf8jx4 ай бұрын
You left off what the temperature is ;) It’s nice and sunny here in Memphis, TN It’s around 74 Fahrenheit/23 Celsius
@Rose_Castle4 ай бұрын
@jo-vf8jx I was going to say "cold" but it is Australia cold, which the English would only mock me for, and I would be complaining about the cold while wearing a short sleeve nighty. And I worry when I complain about the cold and I am not dressed appropriately that the sheer audacity will be used as energy to summon a Mum Spirit who will tell me that if I'm so cold I should put on a cardigan.
@Ken-er9cq4 ай бұрын
Bupropion is also used to reduce smoking. He seems to have a strange mix of drugs, and who now’s the effect of the combination. Maybe he was just naturally impulsive and a risk taker.
@thing_under_the_stairs4 ай бұрын
I'm wondering about taking diazepam (Valium) first thing in the morning? That and the Oxycodone are pretty addictive. Did he have substance abuse issues?
@INGR1D4 ай бұрын
Bupropion is sometimes prescribed (off-label) to treat adhd.
@INGR1D4 ай бұрын
@thing_under_the_stairs The half-life of diazepam is long.
@thing_under_the_stairs4 ай бұрын
@@INGR1D True, I hadn't considered that, and the amounts of each in his bloodstream compared to his body weight weren't specified either. Still, when considered along with the fact that he'd been nailed for DUIs multiple times, it is at least suggestive of potential addictive behaviour.
@GoBlueGirl784 ай бұрын
@@thing_under_the_stairs Valium is also used as a muscle relaxant.
@robertl61964 ай бұрын
WTF?!?!? He was on uppers AND downers. Wonderful.
@connorgurney4 ай бұрын
A sunny Saturday and another Plainly Difficult video? What a way to end the week! 😁
@jayb81544 ай бұрын
I use your bingo card every time my boss comes up with a new plan. I usually get 4-5 stamped.
@notorioustori4 ай бұрын
I work in Austin and remember waking up to this news story! I'm morbidly excited to see you cover this one, while I'm sad for the poor customers who took they're last electrifying joyride. I remember how my friends and I discussed how it was sad but not...erm, shocking. Thanks for the incredible background research.
@ariaangela34554 ай бұрын
Whooo! Double upload week! That aside, I always like how you make reports of these incidents so easily digestible
@mimsydreams4 ай бұрын
As someone who takes cyclobenzaprine as a muscle relaxant for fibromyalgia... I can't imagine trying to function during the day while on it. Geez.
@DarterDamselfly4 ай бұрын
I've been on it twice a day for a year via my old doctor and when my current doctor found out she was like wtf no wonder you're foggy! Ever since I cut my dose I've felt much clearer. Yea my muscles hurt more but I'd rather have a clearer head. I always thought it was just the fibromyalgia 😢
@mimsydreams4 ай бұрын
@@DarterDamselfly I only take it at night. It doesn't actually relax my muscles, but it does make me sleepy.
@capt.bart.roberts49754 ай бұрын
Your pronouncement of the meds was spot on!
@Flying_Fetus4 ай бұрын
Man you're so close to 1 million! Been watching you for years now mr Plainly and your crude illustrations and atypical gait make you a true gem when more and more AI content finds its way into the algorithm. Please keep up the awesome work!
@luvondarox4 ай бұрын
Oh my gosh, an actual cassette tape. I didn't know you could still make them! I miss my old boombox, man, you have no idea. CDs, radio, _dual_ cassette player... gosh it was amazing. It would be fantastic to listen to cassettes again.
@immikeurnot4 ай бұрын
Glad you specified which Texas. For a minute there I thought it might be Texas, Angola.
@cadillacdeville58284 ай бұрын
Good morning Johnny thank you for making my Saturday even better.
@PlainlyDifficult4 ай бұрын
Thank you!!
@arunningbet4 ай бұрын
My friend’s mom has a hot air balloon and at one of the competitions another pilot hit the powerlines and his grandson and him had to jump out of the balloon. But it didn’t stop me from going up a couple times. It’s so serene.
@lewisdoherty76214 ай бұрын
While failing to meet the balloon inspection on schedule had nothing to do with the accident, it is indicative of the willingness of the operator to ignore safety protocols which as we see spread to other areas.
@KD2HJP4 ай бұрын
If it doesn't have positive control surfaces, I'm not getting on it. End
@KD2HJP4 ай бұрын
Ok, not End I'm now at 9:26 in this video and holy heck, I take some of those and I refuse to drive. I love driving..That's a pharmacy or apothecary or dealer stuff. EIGHTEEN PASSENGERS! 18. £175 to £999 each. Making a killing despite depression and weather Oh yeah
@Flame-Bright-Cheer4 ай бұрын
Way to keep the Nostalgia alive with the cassette tapes and a double double bonus for you because yellow is an amazing color for a cassette
@Rachel_M_4 ай бұрын
I was watching "Why buildings collapse" on BBC the other day about the Champlain Towers collapse... ... I looked well smart in front of my friends thanks to your video about it 😁
@charmcitytoe4 ай бұрын
How was that guy even standing up? Funny that I have had to prove for years that my high blood pressure is under control in order to retain my Commercial Drivers License. I could have flown balloons and been pumped out of my gourd instead. (Thoughts and opinions by me; worth about a nickel and available on cassette. I still have my Tascam 202 MkII for good measure).
@subduedreader56274 ай бұрын
I don't know if it is the case for the medications the pilot was on, but it is possible to build up tolerance for many medications, or he could have simply gotten used to how it felt to be on them and considered their effects to be normal for him.
@ferretyluv4 ай бұрын
Texas. Regulations are for liberals, that’s why.
@Vicus_of_Utrecht4 ай бұрын
@@subduedreader5627it's definitely Big Pharma bribery at play. Those 5 meds prescribed at the same time? Absolutely maddening. Diazepam with oxycodone? Christ Almighty 😕
@CoolCucumber7104 ай бұрын
Too funny🤣👍😂
@squalosus2234 ай бұрын
Two PD uploads in one week? Hallelujah!
@PlainlyDifficult4 ай бұрын
😂😬🌝
@JennyfaninSweden4 ай бұрын
The pilot sounded like a walking pharmacy
@Engine33Truck4 ай бұрын
I have never been this early on a Plainly Difficult video! Love your content!
@monicabennett66204 ай бұрын
I enjoy your channel so much. I was in a hot air balloon accident. Thank God we all survived.
@nyxorelius4 ай бұрын
I remember hearing of this as i went off for my first semester of college in Texas;this event made me adamant that I will never ride a hot air ballon.
@Losthisbeans3 ай бұрын
Thank u for always addin ur music, something about some cool history + promoting ur music hits right. Ur the only 1 that could pull up such a duo
@ferretyluv4 ай бұрын
So he was on Wellbutrin, cyclobenzaprine (back pain, probably), Valium, Ritalin, and hillbilly heroin (again, probably back pain). Just being on Ritalin alone disqualifies you from being a pilot. Hell, even an ADHD diagnosis disqualifies you from flying at all. I can’t imagine benzos + SSRI + amphetamines + opioids can result in good decision-making. The interactions alone would be crazy.
@Truckngirl4 ай бұрын
This wasn't even the worst! On 26 February 2013, a hot air balloon crashed near Luxor, Egypt, killing 19 out of the 21 people on board.
@crazyguy321004 ай бұрын
2 in 2 days? Jon is spoiling us.
@JustaMuteCat4 ай бұрын
This reminds me of an accident that happened years back when I still lived between my parent’s home and my apartment during college. During a longer than usual break, I was staying at my parent’s and some dude with a motorized paraglider crashed into the powerlines of a power substation. Thankfully he didn’t die but the damage costs were quite severe for business as it was one of the hottest months of the year and the power was down for a significant chunk of the town for about 10 hours or so, between accident, rescue and retrieval of the paraglider totaled junk and restoring the damaged high voltage cables it damaged.
@bbbnuy39454 ай бұрын
i would possible mark off “time pressure” on the bingo card since as mentioned many of the occupants had previous balloon trips cancelled due to poor weather conditions. the pilot likely felt a sense of pressure to make good in the flight this time as to not disappoint passengers further.
@interstellarsurfer4 ай бұрын
Hot air baloon pilot? More like passenger-in-command.
@ZGryphon4 ай бұрын
John: "... as the company behind the disaster, The Heart of Texas, was a one-man operation." My brain, automatically: "I guess 'shift change' won't be a factor this time, then."
@bschell19694 ай бұрын
Hey man this is America! We drunk drive! Good work!
@jason112864 ай бұрын
I've always liked hot air balloons.....from the ground. Something about being in the air in something that you can't really control where it goes, bothers me. Although, still probably safer than flying in a Boeing at this point
@PlainlyDifficult4 ай бұрын
I agree Boeing is the pinto of the skies
@cesarincamendozaloyola44074 ай бұрын
@@PlainlyDifficult, a beautiful, precise analogy
@JasonMartin9154 ай бұрын
Another great video John 👏
@PlainlyDifficult4 ай бұрын
Thank you!!
@MrRandomcommentguy3 ай бұрын
Really enjoyed Retail Simulator! I bought everything on your bandcamp after that. Great work!
@SkunkApe4074 ай бұрын
Hey, my Nan was from Guildford! Lovely little town, but you're right, it is a bit sleepy. Especially for a kid raised in Orlando, Florida. I always loved how quiet Guildford is, honestly.
@randomnotes4 ай бұрын
I went on a hot air balloon ride once and it was spectacular. However, after having seen several disaster videos involving them, I don't think I'll ever do it again.
@firetruck9884 ай бұрын
I don't like the primary focus being on the medical aspect. The fact that the pilot was also the business owner, and several flights had already been canceled, I think is enough to cause an unmedicated pilot to accept unnecessary risk for the sake of their business.
@kendallevans4079Ай бұрын
Seems like the pilot was 60% greed/40% arrogance......mix with some drugs and Bob's you're Uncle!
@dmd_design4 ай бұрын
Two of those meds are often used to treat ADHD, but in combination with a sedative? Wtf?
@gatsbye534 ай бұрын
As always, great to see your videos!
@timfields6964 ай бұрын
My girlfriend was with a girl while her parents went on a mini 2nd honeymoon flight on a hot air balloon and they were watching the news together when she found out she was an orphan because of this accident... I cannot imagine what that could have been like. My heart goes out to the families of the victims of this avoidable accident.
@see62j4 ай бұрын
Always wait for your weekly weather reports
@LilyKittyCatto4 ай бұрын
No way id ever get in a hot air balloon! They are terrifying
@jhonbus4 ай бұрын
Same. Flying but you have no control over where you go.
@thing_under_the_stairs4 ай бұрын
Same. I really don't like heights, even in a plane, so balloons are out for me!
@BrownWolverine4 ай бұрын
My never ever is cruise ships. I would like to take a hot air balloon ride once.
@darksu69474 ай бұрын
@@BrownWolverineBoats are terrifying! Hot air balloons are a good time!
@mewimi4 ай бұрын
@@BrownWolverine Bring some climbing gear, you might be okay on a cruise ship... lol.
@bok..4 ай бұрын
You actually pronouced those drug names perfectly! All that practice of crazy chemical stories has helped you there haha!
@PlainlyDifficult4 ай бұрын
Blimey that’s actually surprising
@klocugh124 ай бұрын
Overly Confident Officials also would count, since FAA's exemption for balloon pilots was withdrawn.
@tammy66104 ай бұрын
I'm so scared of heights that a step ladder makes me cringe. But somehow I'm perfectly fine in an airplane.
@MarianneKat4 ай бұрын
Good pronunciations on the meds.
@MarianneKat4 ай бұрын
And holy crap most folks wouldn't be upright taking all that😮
@raquelnunes97934 ай бұрын
And this is why regulations exist!
@damiendegrasse4 ай бұрын
That must have been a horrific scene.
@TanukiDigital4 ай бұрын
Watching these big balloons being inflated in person is a pretty awesome experience, I've seen it a couple times. I would NEVER fly in one however.
@cjmillsnun4 ай бұрын
Would add time pressure (you mentioned the passengers had had flights cancelled before), Overly confident official (the Pilot didn't even bother to check the weather and assumed everything would be fine).
@PlainlyDifficult4 ай бұрын
That’s true!
@bryonnevis21874 ай бұрын
The only way you can steer a hot air balloon is via the weather. How can you NOT check the weather?!? Every question begets more questions!
@BrainsofFrank4 ай бұрын
Interesting it seems like the pilot was taking a mix of uppers and downers along with bad choices
@Lyndiloo4 ай бұрын
So glad you posted this after the hot air balloon festival, I would have chickened out and stayed home if you posted this last week.
@PlainlyDifficult4 ай бұрын
😂😂
@darksu69474 ай бұрын
But did you die bro?
@alankeith78664 ай бұрын
One of the most peaceful flights I've ever been on was a hot air balloon ride. Went out of Phoenix, Arizona.
@PlainlyDifficult4 ай бұрын
Sounds nice!
@Stealth866514 ай бұрын
It's almost like flying something you have zero direct control over near obstacles is a bad idea. Just fly a small aircraft, much safer and much more rewarding.
@prekatori4 ай бұрын
I spontaneously joined a flight yesterday. Seemed save enough. But the powerlines and other obstacles in the area were mostly the height of trees. The balloon is able to climb more than 1m/s, which seems reasonable to avoid most obstacles, if the pilot is atleast somewhat aware
@geekswithfeet91374 ай бұрын
It’s meant to be tranquil journey, when the burners are off it’s dead silent and smooth. Very different experience to a plane.
@matthewday75654 ай бұрын
Bad luck played a part, but then it does in many accidents... descend 10 seconds earlier, or 10 seconds later...
@PlainlyDifficult4 ай бұрын
I agree bad luck + bad decision = bad time
@bradsanders4074 ай бұрын
I love how the ntsb always comes in and monday morning quarterbacks the faa. "This should have been done that shouldnt have been allowed". Hey ntsb, you have all the relevant information BEFORE the accident. Why didnt you say then "hey you should change that before some idiot has more pills in his system than not crashes a hot air balloon into some powerlines killing everyone aboard"?
@johnsweeney60724 ай бұрын
It’s not the fall that kills you. It’s that sudden stop at the bottom
@garycard14564 ай бұрын
You went to Surrey University? Same here. I lived in Guildford for a while, too. You probably know about Rubix and the restaurant called Chancellors (nicknamed 'Channies'). A notable attraction in Guildford was the 'Bearded Lady' who you could often see around North Street.
@PlainlyDifficult4 ай бұрын
I remember the bearded lady! I went uni at the ACM at rodboro buildings, used to have no money back then so me and some mates would go the spectrum just to watch people skate around. I lived in Guildford between 2005 and 2012
@Broadcast1Channel4 ай бұрын
Watching this from a different part of the surprising sunny London wondering if I mite see an aurora tonight...
@thereal757_ap4 ай бұрын
Having taken some of those medications the pilot was on. There's no way he was in any state of mind or body to be doing practically anything let alone doing that. Wow.
@aidanofarrell25574 ай бұрын
Sorry to hear you used to live in Guildford
@PlainlyDifficult4 ай бұрын
😂😂
@Tirani24 ай бұрын
I have a flight scheduled for the end of the month, while my mom is in town. I probably shouldn't watch this video, but I will.
@BrackenDawson4 ай бұрын
Whatever you changed in the audio for this video, its great.
@Miki90Mar4 ай бұрын
I guess the driver's head must've been in the clouds to let this happen unfortunately
@jrmckim4 ай бұрын
I remember when this was on the news. I never knew what happened tho. RiP 🕊
@cmotdibbler44544 ай бұрын
Clearly that power line pulled out in front of the balloon deliberately! ;)
@whitetiana30223 ай бұрын
"i don't have a fear of heights. i have a fear of falling and dying. which i find a very reasonable fear"
@halefire3454 ай бұрын
One of my best friends lost both their parents in this accident. The whole situation is incredibly sad, but it is good that the rules changed, although it's unfortunate that it took this happening.
@Superduper6664 ай бұрын
I went one a ballon ride as a pre-teen. The fire jets were loud and scared me. I didn't like feeling the heat. I couldn't wait to get down and will never set foot in another hot air balloon basket.
@searchanddiscover4 ай бұрын
its truly baffling how he was prescribed benzos, stimulants, and pain killers. just getting one of those things tends to be a challenge since they are controlled. i hope they looked into the doctor bc that alone is quite concerning let alone the lax commercial ballooning regulations.